Spectre Comms Serial Interface: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 22:23, 20 August 2019

Rare serial interface for the Amstrad CPC, manufactured by Spectre Communications Ltd.

The Spectre Comms Pack was also advertised for the ZX Spectrum, typically together with a QMOD modem.

The CPC version uses Cage Comms software in ROM. For whatever reason, the manual refers to Propak by Telemap. The Cage/Propak software is written by David Gorski and Ian Hoare.

Technical

I/O Ports are compatible with the Amstrad Serial Interface:

 FADCh Amstrad RS232 Z8470 (Z80 DART) Channel A Data             (R/W)
 FADDh Amstrad RS232 Z8470 (Z80 DART) Channel A Control/Status   (R/W)
 FADEh Amstrad RS232 Z8470 (Z80 DART) Channel B Data             (R/W)
 FADFh Amstrad RS232 Z8470 (Z80 DART) Channel B Control/Status   (R/W)
 FBDCh Amstrad RS232 8253 Baudrate Timer 0 Channel A TX Clock    (R/W)
 FBDDh Amstrad RS232 8253 Baudrate Timer 1 Channel A RX Clock    (R/W)
 FBDEh Amstrad RS232 8253 Baudrate Timer 2 Channel B RX/TX Clock (R/W)
 FBDFh Amstrad RS232 8253 Baudrate Timer 0-2 Control Registers   (W)

Pictures

The Spectre serial interface

Download

Media:CageCommsRom11.zip - Cage Comms ROM-image (v1.1, Dec 1987)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Rare serial interface for the Amstrad CPC
+Rare serial interface for the Amstrad CPC, manufactured by [[Spectre Communications Ltd]].
-Communications software was placed in rom.
+The '''Spectre Comms Pack''' was also advertised for the [[ZX Spectrum]], typically together with a QMOD modem.
-manufactured by:
+The CPC version uses '''Cage Comms''' software in ROM. For whatever reason, the manual refers to '''Propak by Telemap'''. The Cage/Propak software is written by David Gorski and Ian Hoare.
-'''Spectre Communications LTD'''
+== Technical ==
-'''School House'''
+I/O Ports are compatible with the [[Amstrad Serial Interface]]:
-'''Crosby Ravensworth
+  FADCh Amstrad RS232 [[Z80-DART/Z80-SIO chip|Z8470 (Z80 DART)]] Channel A Data             (R/W)
+  FADDh Amstrad RS232 Z8470 (Z80 DART) Channel A Control/Status   (R/W)
-'''Penrith, Cumbria CA10 3JA'''
+  FADEh Amstrad RS232 Z8470 (Z80 DART) Channel B Data             (R/W)
+  FADFh Amstrad RS232 Z8470 (Z80 DART) Channel B Control/Status   (R/W)
-Not much is known about this device please write more.
+  FBDCh Amstrad RS232 [[8253 chip|8253]] Baudrate Timer 0 Channel A TX Clock    (R/W)
+  FBDDh Amstrad RS232 8253 Baudrate Timer 1 Channel A RX Clock    (R/W)
+  FBDEh Amstrad RS232 8253 Baudrate Timer 2 Channel B RX/TX Clock (R/W)
+  FBDFh Amstrad RS232 8253 Baudrate Timer 0-2 Control Registers   (W)
 == Pictures ==
@@ Line 22: / Line 25: @@
 Image:spectre rs232 3.jpg|
 Image:spectre rs232 4.jpg|
+Image:spectre rs232 5.jpg|
+Image:spectre rs232 6.jpg|
 </gallery>
-[[Category:Hardware]] [[Category:Peripherals]] [[Category:Serial_interfaces]]
+== Download ==
+* [[Media:CageCommsRom11.zip]] - Cage Comms ROM-image (v1.1, Dec 1987)
+ [[Category:Peripherals]] [[Category:Serial_interfaces]][[Category:Expansion ROM]][[Category:Network]]